Macro and Micro Level Usage of Outcomes Research in Pharmacy Practices

摘要

Health outcomes research plays a critical role in improving safety and quality of health care, whether applied in research or within the context of clinical practice decision making. In particular, health outcomes research holds the promise of offering data-driven, evidence-based solutions for a key process problem or for clinical decisions by health care professionals, including pharmacists. Techniques of outcomes research contribute greatly to the understanding of therapy efficacy or an intervention by using real-world information and by bringing the patient outcome measures to the forefront.13 The recent boom in health information technology has produced the capability of comprehensive electronic medical records, including patients' treatment records, prescription medication use, and clinical information. This wealth of patient information has made the drug utilization review (DUR) and drug utilization evaluation (DUE) process very efficient and data driven for pharmacists.